A FREE trade agreement between Bahrain and Turkey is “top priority”.
His Majesty King Hamad’s visit to Turkey last August has created a “new dynamism” between both nations, said Turkish Ambassador Hatun Demirer yesterday.
She added that she expected a joint economic commission to take place soon.
“After His Majesty King Hamad’s visit to Turkey last August, we’ve seen a new dynamism in Bahraini-Turkish relations, especially in the business area,” she said on the sidelines of a Rotary Club of Salmaniya meeting at Golden Tulip Bahrain.
“We hope to have joint economic commission meetings soon, perhaps at the beginning of next year, which will establish mechanisms at the government-to-government level to check potential projects.
“We will have a meeting in Turkey within the next year and the most important issue is to complete the negotiation for the free trade agreement – it’s a priority for us.
“There was a meeting in Riyadh in mid-October, so a decision has already been taken at the highest level.”
Ms Demirer said Bahrain had over 30 major Turkish companies but many smaller businesses as well.
“We have around 30 companies in Bahrain, but we have a lot of small businesses, like kebab and barbershops that are Turkish, but you don’t notice them because they’re blended in Bahraini society,” she said.
“We have a community of more than 2,000, who are happy here and are making business.”
She also said she was working on efforts to have a new push to encourage Bahrainis to study in Turkey.
“On a private basis, yes, more Bahrainis are travelling to Turkey but not as much as to the UK or US,” she explained.
“We should promote it more because we have world-class universities and the medium for teaching is English.
“From time to time we have education exhibitions where they come and try to promote themselves, but it’s not enough.
“We have to work on the education field as well.”
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